The threat of a split between the professional and amateur games hangs over golf after the US Tour released a provocative response to the announcement that the governing bodies were pressing ahead with their ban on “anchoring”.

The Royal and Ancient and United States Golf Association expected a backlash when finally confirming their intention to enforce the new rule in 2016, which many believe will eradicate the belly and broomhandle versions of the putter. In outlining the reasons for the decision, Peter Dawson, the R&A’s chief executive, issued a warning to the American dissenters who would be prepared to ignore the regulation: “It would just be awful for the game, it would be utter chaos.”

While insiders on the PGA Tour doubt whether it will come to that, the anger on the professional Stateside fairways should not be underestimated.

All there is to stop the game’s richest circuit from going alone is the sanctity of the game being played under one set of rules. And the statement from Tour HQ immediately after the concurrent press conferences of the R&A and USGA did nothing to lessen the fears.

“We will now begin our process to ascertain whether the various provisions of Rule 14-1b will be implemented in our competitions...” it read. “We will announce our position regarding the application of Rule 14-1b to our competitions upon conclusion of our process.”

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That process involves the likes of the PGA Tour commissioner, Tim Finchem, holding discussions with the Player Advisory Board. And seeing as this body represents four recent major winners who all employ long putters, these talks are likely to be lively, if not downright mutinous. It was the urgings of the players which persuaded Finchem to go on national television and declare the Tour’s opposition to the ban after the proposals were announced late last year.

Dawson, while keen to stress that the R&A and USGA “stand shoulder to shoulder on this”, pointed out that the “adverse comment” had emanated almost exclusively from across the Atlantic. The PGA of America, which runs the USPGA Championship and jointly runs the Ryder Cup, sent out its own statement expressing its “disappointment”, saying it, too, will meet next month “to decide how to proceed”.

Dawson admitted it would be a nervous wait, but is “hopeful they will find a way of getting behind the governing bodies’ decision”.

If they do, there will still be the threat of legal action by a group of players. Brendan Steele, a professional on the PGA Tour, believes this will happen, telling the Golf Channel on Tuseday “to expect something on this soon”. However, Dawson feels that any lawsuits “won’t be on particularly strong grounds”. He added: “We have done our homework on this.”

As evidence he had before him the exhaustive 40-page report, produced in conjunction with the USGA, which sought to show why “freely swinging the entire club is the essence of the traditional method of stroke,” and why anchoring may “alter and diminish the fundamental challenges of the game”.

The one obvious regret for the rule-makers is their procrastination. Long putters have been around for the best part of four decades and have always been so controversial that many will wonder why the ban took so long. Dawson denied the timing had anything to do with the fact that four of the last six major winners had used non-conventional putters, but pointed to the increasing numbers of youngsters using the implements as “a first resort”.

He also kept repeating that it was the method rather than the club which has been outlawed, with those such as Masters champion Adam Scott maintaining that he would only have to make minor alterations to conform.

Meanwhile, another important announcement was made at Wentworth as it was confirmed that the Europe Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley, has been granted a third wild card, meaning that only nine players will qualify automatically for next year’s Gleneagles team, instead of 10.